The Lost Kitsune
by Elphaba Tiggular
Summary: This is my first YYH fic! When Kasumi a young Kitsune attacks Kurama she ends up getting kidnapped and now it's up to Kurama and the others to save her from an evil human named Ryushi.
1. Chapter one

The Lost Kitsune  
By: Botan Minamino (AKA Kasumi Suigine)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Yu Yu Hakusho characters, the only characters that rightfully belong to me are Kasumi/Anzu, Ryushi, Keisuke and any other character that does not make an appearance in the TV series.   
  
Chapter one:  
  
Kurama faced a girl with shoulder length brown hair and bright blue-green eyes. She looked angry and hurt. She spat out some blood that was clinging to her lip. Slowly she reached into her hair and pulled out a bamboo branch and swept her arm like she just drew a sword from it sheath and sure enough the branch turned into a Japanese sword.  
  
"I will revenge my fallen kin! They say to kill you…and I shall," the girl said softly with tears in her eyes.  
  
Kurama looked shocked. Why would she want to kill him? What did he do to her? He took a few steps towards her and she responded why stepping back.  
  
"Don't come any closer!" she yelled holding out her sword in front of her.  
  
"Why kill me?" Kurama asked.  
  
"Because…" she said.  
  
"'Because'?" he questioned.  
  
"Because they told me to!" she replied.  
  
"Who's 'they'?" he asked.  
  
"The Shigen…they said you killed them, all of them," she whispered. "You have an extensive history Minamino Suichi. I have been told about your murderous days."  
  
Kurama looked shocked; someone had been feeding the girl lies. He couldn't say anything.  
  
"What's wrong, Minamino…can't say anything? Neither could I when I found out it was you. You of all people, the one I thought I loved from a glance," she cried.  
  
"You…loved me? I don't even know your name," he said.  
  
"Does that matter now? You murderer!" she yelled.  
  
Her anger flared and started to burn in her eyes. She screamed out of pain as her ears were replaced by silver colored fox ears and her hair changed to a fiery red, a long silver tail appeared. She dropped her sword and wept causing her to drop to the ground.  
  
"A Kitsune?" Kurama asked and went to her; sitting beside her trying to calm her down.  
  
"Stay away!" she cried picking up her sword and pointing it at him. "I told you to stay away, murderer!"  
  
The girl stood up and kept the sword pointed at Kurama. "You were in my class last year, the smart kid who swooned all the girls! I know that you aren't a normal kid! You're hundreds of years of killing back you up!" she spat.  
  
"You're…Takami Anzu…you're also quite the looker. I assure you, I am no murderer. I swear it," Kurama said.  
  
"You do know me, but that doesn't change anything! Never call by my ningen name! My Kitsune name is Suigine Kasumi," she growled.  
  
Kurama nodded, "Ok Kasumi."  
  
"Stand and fight like a man," Kasumi commanded and Kurama obeyed.  
  
Kasumi backed away from Kurama to sharpen her speed and her accuracy of killing her opponent. She quickly stretched her muscles for a quick attack.  
  
"Before you attack may I ask you something?" Kurama asked.  
  
"What is it?" Kasumi snapped.  
  
"How do you know the Shigen aren't lying to you?" he asked her in a calm voice.  
  
"Why wouldn't I believe them? They swore they would tell me the truth," she replied.  
  
"They were lying, I am not a murderer!" Kurama responded.  
  
"Enough!" Kasumi shouted and charged at him with great speed.  
  
She readied her sword and struck Kurama, impaling him through the stomach. He stumbled back holding the wounded spot; blood gushed from the wound and poured down him hand, but he made no move to attack her.  
  
Kasumi looked at him oddly and asked with venom in her voice, "Why don't you attack me?"  
  
Kurama looked down at her with kindness in his emerald eyes, "Because, I am not a murderer and I do not intend to kill an innocent."  
  
"Are you stupid? You're kind act may fool some idiot girls, but not me! If I let you go, you will kill more innocents!" she yelled.  
  
All Kurama could do was sigh and try and make her see that he was not a murderer. "Kasumi, do you think I would murder my own kind?"  
  
"What are you getting at, Minamino?" she growled.  
  
"I am also a Kitsune and I would never murder my own kind, kin or not," he replied.  
  
"Shut up!" Kasumi shouted, "I have eaten my fill of your words and they taste bitter on my tongue."   
  
Anger flared in her eyes and caused a chain reaction with her warrior spirit. The air flamed about her creating a barrier. Kurama knew he had no choice but to fight her. Fighting her was not right in honor or in his nature.  
  
"Fight me!! Are you that scared to be killed?" Kasumi growled.  
  
Kurama shook his head, "No, I am not afraid of death, but you shouldn't be seeking revenge on someone who has not committed any crimes. For it is a crime to kill an innocent."  
  
"You are no innocent," she stated. "You are nothing more then a lying murderer!"  
  
Kurama dropped to the ground holding his wound. Kasumi sneered, but she couldn't help to feel bad for someone like him, who was so handsome and smart. The honor of the fallen was at stake and she had to avenge them no matter the cost…even if it meant at the cost of her own life.  
  
Then the lights flickered in the warehouse and went out. A series of gunshots rang through the large room. Kurama instinctively got up and ran to Kasumi. When some of the lights came back on a shadowy figure appeared from the entrance just above them by the staircase.   
  
"You have dodged the bullets, amazing…" the figure murmured. "Kasumi, I was expecting better of you."  
  
Kasumi got up and winced from a pain on her shoulder. "Ryushi, what the hell are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"It seems you have failed our orders, Kasumi, we have to dispose of you," Ryushi said and stepped in to the light.  
  
Ryushi was a tall man with no muscles and dark hair. His eyes were dark and piercing with a sloping forehead. He wore a formal black suit and behind him stood several men all dressed quite similarly. They were straight faced with no expression on them.  
  
"What are you talking about? I am doing as you commanded of me!" she yelled.  
  
"You're not working hard enough and the Shigen doesn't need people like you, but before we kill you we will tell you a secret. Kurama, or should I say Minamino Suichi, never killed your family; it was us who killed them. Their deaths were used to have you do our dirty work," he replied.  
  
"You bastard!" Kasumi growled.  
  
"What are you going to do Kasumi? Kill us? For you know if you kill a human you would be severely punished," Ryushi snickered.  
  
"I don't give a damn! You killed my kin!" she snapped. "Killing you is not even going to avenge them, you need to pay more then death!"  
  
Kasumi glared at the men standing around and was ready with sword in hand. A worried expression crossed the faces of all of the men.  
  
"Master shall we leave?" one of the henchmen asked.  
  
"Yes," Ryushi replied. "This is not over Kasumi. We will come back for you and Kurama."  
  
The men left with out a word. Kasumi knew she had made a terrible mistake. Her eyes lowered to the ground and she slowly turned around to face Kurama standing by her side.  
  
"Some humans are cruel, but don't hate all of them," Kurama said quietly.  
  
"No, I couldn't, I have my adoptive family who are human. I couldn't hate them. Could you hate them, Minamino?" Kasumi replied.  
  
"No, and call me Kurama. Well, we better get going before anymore trouble finds us," he suggested.  
  
"Yes," Kasumi agreed. "I'm sorry, though…for being tricked so easily and for wounding you."  
  
Kurama smiled, "It's quite alright, but I'm kind of worried about that shoulder of yours."  
  
She shook her head, "A bullet only grazed my shoulder, and it barely hurts."  
  
Kasumi started to walk away, her ningen appearance returning to her. She went up the stairs and stopped at the door. She turned around with a sad smile on her face and looked at Kurama standing in the warehouse.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said and went outside.  
  
Kurama did nothing, but look at the door with a sad expression. She was a nice girl, really and Kurama knew it too well. He just wished he could have helped her more in some way.  
  
Suddenly there was a scream and several gunshots. Kurama ran up the stairs and out the door as quickly as possible. There he found the members of the Shigen with Kasumi in their grasp. They had a gun pointed to her head, obviously the shots fired before were only warning shots.  
  
"Kurama don't do this! It's not worth it!" Kasumi yelled.  
  
"Shut up, bitch!" one of the henchmen yelled and slapped her across the face.  
  
Ryushi ignored the out brake. "Truth of the matter is, we only want you dead, Kurama," Ryushi said holding out a piece of paper to Kurama. "You have three days to hand yourself over to us or Kasumi will get it."  
  
Kurama gritted his teeth together and took the paper. He read it quickly.  
  
"That is where you can find us," Ryushi stated and left with his henchmen.   
  
Kurama watched helplessly as they left. But he wondered why they went through all this trouble just to kidnap Kasumi then say they want Kurama dead when they could have shot him right at that moment. It just made absolutely no sense.  
  
~*~*~  
A/N: I use ningen to describe a form to be in the human form of a Kitsune (Fox demon) is what I call "ningen" otherwise when describing a normal human I use human.  
  
Ok, how did you guys like that? Don't worry I have chapters 2 and three ready to be posted as well, just give me a week to put them up. As for the character Kasumi, she is me...well, my rp character. I just hope you like my story. 'Cause there is more to come!! 


	2. Chapter two

Chapter two:  
  
Kurama knew he couldn't go to Yusuke or the others. It was his fight and he had to handle it by himself. Three days wasn't enough time to even truly devise a plan. He had to save her no matter the cost.  
  
The next day Kurama tried to act like there was absolutely nothing wrong with him. Nothing he did would have gotten Kasumi off his mind. Kurama went to school and tried to act normal. He remembered that Kasumi was in his English class; she sat towards the back and always knew all the answers to the questions asked.  
  
"Anzu's out today…how odd," a boy said.  
  
"Yeah, she's always is in school no matter what," another said.  
  
Kurama looked down, feeling as if he was the one to blame.  
  
The bell rang for the start of class. Kurama sat quietly writing some things out. He had thought about sneaking in to the address given, no doubt in it being the Shigen headquarters, but the fact was that the Shigen knew his reputation and would have security cameras at very corner. They were only humans after all and relied heavily on technology.  
  
As the teacher came into class he looked around the room. He cleared his throat and started class. He drowned on and on about the complex structure of an English sentence.  
  
Kurama continued to write down his thoughts and ideas for rescuing Kasumi. It had then crossed his mind to maybe ask Hiei for advice and acting naïve about the situation, but knowing Hiei, he'd know something was wrong and most likely Kurama would end up asking him to leave the fight to him and knowing Hiei he'd agree. Hiei never like to interfere with personal matters and would leave Kurama to deal with it. So, asking Hiei it was. He had no other choice.  
  
After school hours, Kurama waited by the dark alley behind his high school. He stood alone with his arms crossed and his back leaning against the brick wall. Kurama closed his eyes and remembered the night before bitterly.   
  
"You're late," Kurama said opening his eyes.  
  
"What's the deal?" Hiei asked stepping out of the shadows.  
  
"A Kitsune was kidnapped by the Shigen," Kurama replied softly. "A female."  
  
Hiei snickered slightly, "You have an interest in this woman…must be special."  
  
Kurama tilted his head to the sky thinking over what Hiei had said. Kasumi was special, since Kitsunes were rare to find during this time. She was a hurt soul, one that needed to be helped.  
  
"I need a plan Hiei, one that involves me alone. I cannot afford to involve Yusuke or anyone else in this matter. I was the one who brought this upon myself," Kurama said.  
  
Hiei snorted, "You Kitsune are a passionate breed. You'd risk yourself for a woman, and what make her your mate?"  
  
Kurama smiled lustfully at the thought of making Kasumi his mate.  
  
Hiei just snorted again and controlled every desire to hit the Kitsune, but managed to say, "You look like an idiot, Kurama."  
  
"Are you going to help me come up with a plan in three days?" Kurama asked in a serious voice.  
  
"Are you that serious?" Hiei asked with an icy sound to his voice.  
  
"Of course, I'd never be joking about something as serious as this," Kurama replied.  
  
"Fine," Hiei snorted. "We'll meet later at your place."  
  
With that the Fire Demon left without anything else to say. Kurama know needed to have some kind of idea for a plan of action.  
  
As Kurama headed home he could not help, but feel followed by an evil presence. He moved swiftly among other humans and broke into a full run at the corner of his street. He growled slightly turning around at the entrance to his apartment building.  
  
"Show yourself," Kurama snarled.  
  
Two ninja sprang from the roof of one of the buildings. One carrying a bamboo straw and the other with three kunai placed neatly in each hand between fingers. They both wore maroon with the kanji for Shigen on the breast pocket.   
  
"What do you two want?" he asked with irritation to his voice.  
  
One of the ninjas, the one with the bamboo straw, threw a silvery object in Kurama's direction. He caught it and opened his hand to see a beautiful blue teardrop-shaped pendant. It smelled like wild flowers and spices, Kasumi's sent.  
  
A growl escaped from his throat, "What did you do to her?"  
  
The ninjas just snickered and started to attack Kurama on the spot. Kurama reached into his hair and pulled out a rose. Striking it like a whip it had turned into his famous weapon. Three poisonous darts came his way and he barely escaped them. The other ninja threw all six of his kunai at Kurama pinning his legs and arms to the cement. He used half of his strength just to tear himself away from his pining hold and escaped with rips in his pants legs and his shirt. Kurama rushed into the fight ducking under one ninja's arm and pinning it behind his back.  
  
"I'll ask again, what did you do to her?" Kurama said with anger. "Answer!"  
  
"We tell you nothing!" the ninja replied.  
  
"Wrong answer, try again!" Kurama snorted.  
  
Again the ninja gave the same answer. Kurama growled and threw him into his partner. He stormed off to his apartment and some how managed to greet his mother with a kind smile.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The Shigen headquarters were on the far end of town. It was a tall building much like a mansion with a beautiful garden in the back and a high fence in the front of the building. A black limo was parked in the driveway along with several expensive black cars, of high standards. There was a large stained glass window of a bird above the entrance and several large windows above that.  
  
In a small room Kasumi sat. She sat alone without moving a muscle or showing any sign of emotion at all. Her eyes, however, showed her sadness. Every breath she took seemed like she was drawing her last breath, it was drawn out and made a hissing sound as she breathed in. Kasumi looked over to the doors to see talismans covering the doorway. At this point she had been hoping for death instead she found torture.  
  
The door opened and Ryushi swept in with a smirk on his face. Kasumi looked back at the walls. She put on an emotionless, blank stare and she no longer even showed the slightest bit of sorrow or bitterness.  
  
"What is it Ryushi?" Kasumi asked flatly without looking at him.  
  
"Why do you think, my dear?" he replied walking over to her.  
  
"I told you to keep your hands off me," she said.  
  
"Oh, but that'd be too hard, you are absolutely stunning," Ryushi prodded caressing her face gingerly.  
  
"You will do as I asked," Kasumi stated.  
  
"Feisty," Ryushi chuckled eagerly lifting up Kasumi's skirt.  
  
Kasumi drew in a staggering breath and bit her lower lip. These were the times she begged for death. She was just hoping, praying that Ryushi was going to slit her throat instead of trying to delight himself.  
  
"You don't you kill me and get it over with?" she asked.  
  
"Because, my little flower, it wouldn't be fun. I can hear your body willing for something more pleasurable," he replied.  
  
"Something?" she repeated. "Yes, something that I can't get from you."  
  
"That Kitsune can give it to you? Please, he's like a puppy easy to jerk around."  
  
"Refrain from touching me in any way, shape or form before I lose it."  
  
"Poor Angel, my poor, poor Angel."  
  
"Quit with the pet names."  
  
Ryushi got up realizing that she wasn't going to get to her. Kasumi would only give him the same answers that she had already given him and would not tell him more. She would remain in the same spot and with the same expressionless face that always greeted him.  
  
"You ungrateful bitch, burn in hell for all I care!" Ryushi roared and stormed out of the room slamming the door shut behind him.  
  
The talismans went back into place sealing the door. Kasumi got up from her chair and fixed her long skirt and sat back down. Tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks. She felt helpless and alone, no one was there for her and no one cared for her there.  
  
~*~*~  
  
At Kurama's house Hiei and Kurama were thinking up a plan, but nothing came to mind, especially Hiei. All of Hiei's plans involved killing Ryushi, a mere human with a lust of power, which would make Kurama a criminal in all of Spirit World or beating him to a bloody pulp. Either way, it didn't sound too good for Kurama.  
  
"I bet if you asked Yusuke you'd get the same kind of answers," Hiei said flatly.  
  
Kurama sighed feeling heavy in heart, "I guess you are right. I will just face my problems like a man."  
  
"You sound like an asshole," Hiei stated.  
  
"Funny. I just wish I could do more to help," Kurama whispered.  
  
Hiei snorted and got up from where he was sitting in Kurama's room. Before he left he gave Kurama this warning, "Don't risk your life for a woman, there will always be others."  
  
Kurama's reply for that was, "Not like her, there are no more Kitsunes in this world any more in Makai or Reikai."  
  
"Baka," Hiei said and left jumping out of the opened window.   
  
Kurama looked at the window with a sad smile, "Only if you could understand you wouldn't call me that."  
  
He got up and closed the window, trying to decide what to do in this matter. His only option seemed to be to hand himself over, then see how he could defeat the Shigen and hopefully win.   
  
~*~*~  
A/N: Ok, so chapter 2 is up! Yay!! I hope you guys are enjoying this fic. 


	3. Chapter three

Chapter three:  
  
It had now been a full day since Ryushi had taken Kasumi as his prisoner. To her it seemed like she was just a tool now for his sexual desires, but she never gave in. Ryushi called her pet names and lifted up her skirt at will. She never did anything besides commanding him to keep his hands away from her. They wouldn't give her food or water and kept her locked up in a room full of talismans.  
  
Kasumi looked down at her hand there was a large burn on it where they had tested a talisman on her. It seared her skin and left a mark. She had cried out in pain, begging them just to kill her and to leave Kurama out if it.  
  
**Flashback**  
  
The men dragged an unconscious Kasumi into the mansion. Her was hair in a mess about her. Blood trickled down from her shoulder where the bullet had grazed her. Her face was serene and she was unaware of what was about to happen.   
  
They had brought her to a room and slowly Kasumi regained consciousness as they set her down on a chair. She felt weak and found it hard to remain conscious at the time. Then she saw Ryushi come closer to her holding what seemed to be a slip of rectangular paper with some form of ancient Chinese on it.  
  
"This may hurt a little," Ryushi said with a wicked smile on his face.  
  
Kasumi just then realized what he was holding and struggled but to be held down by two henchmen. Ryushi then grabbed her left hand and put the talisman gently on her skin and lightning emerged from it mixed with fire. The energy coursed through out her body causing her to let out an ear-piercing scream. When Ryushi removed the talisman Kasumi slipped off the chair and wept openly.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" she cried. "Why don't you kill me already instead of this torture?"  
  
"It wouldn't be fun other wise," Ryushi replied.  
  
"Kill me and leave Kurama out of this!" Kasumi shouted.  
  
"He's our target, or have you forgotten that, Kasumi?" Ryushi snickered.  
  
"Kurama has done nothing to deserve this!" she growled.  
  
Ryushi pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He took his time with his answer, enjoying himself by watching her grow impatient.  
  
"What has he done to deserve this kind of hate?" Kasumi asked.  
  
Ryushi exhaled some smoke and laughed, "Nothing, we just want him dead."  
  
"You bastard!" she yelled.  
  
"Men, seal up her room with these talismans," Ryushi stated and left.  
  
**End flashback**  
  
Kasumi now had to face the facts about her unusual life. It was a killed or be killed life and she wanted to protect her mother and older brother from this life, a life they didn't need to know about. A life of pain and suffering where the weak are killed for pleasure.  
  
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She recalled a happy moment from her childhood, her time of no worries. When Keisuke, her older brother, drove her and her friends to the mall one day while she was in the junior high school when their mother, Atsuko, told them not to go. They had so much fun that day until they got home that night.  
  
Kasumi now smiled at that memory. Her mother had to be the most forgiving person. She only was concerned for Kasumi's safety and always told stories of the family. Kasumi's favorite was the story of when she was adopted into the family; her mother always said that she thought that Kasumi was special from day one. Every night Kasumi asked to hear that story, but always told her mother to stop before she got to the part where her father died.  
  
Now, it seemed that Kasumi had faced her place in society as an outcast of man and among the demon race. Among others of her kind, the part of herself that she had been fleeing from. She had run long enough, for sixteen years, Kasumi never knew what to say to her family about herself. How was she going to explain to her family that she was a Kitsune hiding in a human body? It seemed hard enough to come up with an explanation to why a human child was in the forest alone. She didn't know what to say about herself; she had already been around for 500 years, sixteen of which were in human form as a brown haired, blue-eyed girl.  
  
"Baka," she muttered to herself. "It was you who got involved with the Shigen and now it is you will get yourself out of this mess. But…how will I do that?"  
  
Then a voice spoke in her head, "You will find away young, Anzu."  
  
"What?" she asked aloud, "Who are you?"  
  
"I am the youkai in you, I am Kasumi and you are Anzu," the voice said.  
  
"No, I am Kasumi and Anzu!" Kasumi exclaimed. "We are one!"  
  
"Not anymore, your feelings as a ningen are mixed, you cannot control them," the Kitsune inside replied.  
  
"Stop kidding me!" the girl yelled.  
  
"I am not, Anzu," the Kitsune whispered. "Someone is coming."  
  
The inner Kitsune disappeared as quickly as she had come. It just came to Kasumi that she heard footsteps approaching her door. She growled to herself and looked at the wall with her normal expressionless face. It was just about the end of day one and she knew she had two more days left in this hell. The henchman came in holding a plate of food.  
  
"Here you go," he said and put it on the table.  
  
"I don't want it!" Kasumi replied.  
  
The man said nothing and left closing the door behind him. He was a weakling, Kasumi could have knocked him out easily and fled for her lift, but she remained in her spot. She knew it was a foolish choice; then again, it was her choice to make. Maybe, it was her deep fear of being found out and being killed for it that scared her and kept her in place. Kasumi may have been begging for death, but she was deeply afraid of it.   
  
Kasumi sat and stayed up most of the night, hoping, praying that Kurama wouldn't leave her there to die. He now had only two days to go and rescue her from Ryushi and his evil grasp.  
  
  
Kurama wasn't fairing too well at home. Him and his mother sat down for dinner and watched the news. Kurama knew what was bound to be on the news that night and he was right.  
  
"Last night a sixteen year-old girl from Tokyo was kidnapped," the news reporter said and a picture of Kasumi went on the screen. "Police say that there is no evidence that she has been kidnapped or that she has just run away from home."  
  
Another woman appeared on the screen by an apartment building and said, "Sixteen year-old Takami Anzu was a normal girl, who achieved well academically, but her disappearance last night is a mystery. Her mother and older brother say that she is a very happy girl and would never run away, but there is still no evidence of either option."  
  
"Oh, how terrible," Shiori Minamino said and looked over to her son, "Do you know her, Suichi?"  
  
"Yes, mother, she was in my English class," Kurama replied.  
  
Shiori looked sadly at her son, who sat with his eyes on his food, then at the TV. They were now onto the weather forecast for the week. Kurama finished eating and thanked his mother for the meal and went to his room. She watched him leave with a sympathetic expression on her face.  
  
In his room Kurama sat at his desk with a couple of papers, mostly schoolwork. He just hoped that Ryushi hadn't done anything to Kasumi. Just then the phone rang and Kurama reached for the phone on his desk.  
  
"Hello, Minamino residence," he said.  
  
"Kurama, hey, this is Yusuke," Yusuke's voice said on the other end.  
  
"Oh, hi. What's up?" Kurama asked.  
  
"I dunno, you tell me," Yusuke replied.  
  
Kurama scowled slightly, but responded cheerfully, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Koenma, just told about the mission and it seems that you have a connection with the victim," Yusuke stated.  
  
"'Mission'?" Kurama asked.  
  
"Yeah, a Kitsune, goes by the name Suigine Kasumi," Yusuke replied seriously.  
  
"And Koenma told you this?"  
  
"Yeah, who else would we hear it from? Hiei?"  
  
"Did Hiei say anything?"  
  
"No more then the usual…just sneered and left."  
  
"I see…Yusuke, please don't get involved."  
  
"Why, man, this is our assignment?"  
  
"Because, the man, who is behind this, Ryushi, has it in for me and took her captive until I turn myself over to him. I have two more days left."  
  
Kurama then heard Kuwabara yell in the background and Yusuke threw something at him. Kurama laughed lightly and sighed calming himself quickly.  
  
"Kurama, don't tell me that you want to fight that bastard alone?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"I do, it's my fight…I just need a plan," Kurama replied.  
  
"I bet he's not doing it for respect or anythin', but get something from the gurl!" Kuwabara said in the background.  
  
"Kuwabara, you're listening to our conversation!?" Yusuke shouted.  
  
Kuwabara then laughed loudly into the receiver and Yusuke took that as a "yes".  
  
"It's no big deal," Kurama said.  
  
"The fox is looking for somethin'…like hot lovin'!" Kuwabara cackled.  
  
"Kuwabara, this is no laughing matter," Kurama stated seriously. "Kasumi is in danger and Ryushi is trying to kill me while setting her up as a bait to lure me."  
  
"And it's working," Yusuke said just as seriously.  
  
"Yes," Kurama agreed.  
  
"Then, let us help. Kurama, this shouldn't be a fight that you should handle alone. The man is human, right? So, Kuwabara and I and can take care of him, while you go save the girl," Yusuke replied.  
  
Kurama was silent for a moment, "You shouldn't…"  
  
"Ah, don't worry about us man, we don't go down that easily. I'll come over tomorrow and we'll think something up," Yusuke said and hung up.  
  
Kurama hung up as well and sighed, "Then it's settled…my fight had turned into a group fight."  
  
With that in mind Kurama went to sleep. He was uneasy all night, but he managed to get some rest.  
  
~*~*~  
a/n: Hey, sorry it took so long, I am being blocked from uploading fics, because of raised parental controls on the site. I will still update when I can. 


	4. Chapter four

Chapter four:  
  
The next morning, Kurama awoke early with beads of sweat on his face. He nearly cried out as he woke up startled by a dream…he wouldn't even call it that. His unconscious seemed linked to Kasumi and her desperate cries for help. Somehow he was able to sense all her pain and her troubles. He tried to tell her to stay calm and that help was on the way, but she refused to listen.  
  
Kurama got out of bed and got into his school uniform. He walked to the kitchen and saw his mother sitting at the table sipping some tea. She turned to him and smiled, but to only smile sadly at her son.  
  
"Suichi, are you feeling well?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, I feel fine, mother. Why do you ask?" he replied.  
  
Shiori nodded slightly and said, "You look pale…maybe you should stay home today."  
  
"No, that isn't necessary, mother," Kurama stated.  
  
Shiori only nodded and watched her son sit at the table with an exhausted expression. He yawned and stretched his arms above his head then he cupped his head in his hands and sat in thought. His eyelids felt heavy on his face and he nodded off to sleep slightly.  
  
"Suichi, stay home today, you are exhausted," Shiori said.  
  
This time Kurama only nodded in response. He felt so very tired and he couldn't explain it. Maybe it was that he was linked to Kasumi and she was the one who was exhausted and wished for sleep, or that being linked to her drained him of his Spirit Energy.  
  
He went to his bedroom and changed back into his pajamas. Kurama climbed into bed and fell asleep with no trouble. He dreamed of being with Kasumi and she seemed to respond well to him as if she were asleep too and linked to him.  
  
"Kasumi," he said in his dream. "Am I dreaming?"  
  
Kasumi smiled softly and replied, "Then we are both dreaming."  
  
He walked to her and looked about him. It was a room filled with warm colors and soft velvet cushioning of reds. The lighting was dim and scented candles were lit filling the room with the fragrance of roses. Kurama reached her and trailed his hand along the side of her face.  
  
"Where are we, because this feels too real," Kurama said.  
  
"I really don't know," she whispered, "but it feels real to me too."  
  
Everything about the room tempted and teased Kurama about his senses and feelings towards Kasumi. It shocked him more to see a tear fall from her eyes, before she acted brave and wasn't afraid to die, but now she seemed afraid.  
  
"Kasumi, what's wrong? Are they doing anything to you?" he asked.  
  
Kasumi nodded before burying her head into his chest, crying, "Ryushi, does awful things…he set my room up with talismans to prevent me from escaping, it only burns the flesh of a Kitsune…and he lifts up my skirt."  
  
Kurama pulled her closer, embracing her in a tight hug. He stroked her hair and told her that she'd be all right. Kasumi only shook her head and cried some more. She was sure that her mother was looking for her and her brother was too, but it scared her that she might never see her family again. The family she has truly grown to love and care for.  
  
"Kasumi, my friends and I, will come and save you from him, I promise," Kurama said.  
  
"When? When will you come?" she asked, her voice pinched with fear.  
  
"Shh…calm down," Kurama whispered and kissed her on the forehead. "We will come as soon as we can."  
  
"Are they looking for me, my mother and older brother?" Kasumi said.  
  
Kurama nodded, "They are worried about you and have sent to police on a search."  
  
Kasumi could only nod to what Kurama had said. She hoped that he wasn't lying and that her mother had the police looking for her. Another tear ran down her face, but Kasumi suppressed a smile despite her fear and her grief.  
  
She took in a deep breath and said, "Roses, my favorite flower. This room is wonderful; I wish I could stay here forever…forever here with you."  
  
"Kasumi, this is a dream," Kurama whispered.  
  
"Then, it is the best dream I have ever dreamt," Kasumi replied caressing his cheek with her lips.  
  
This confused Kurama, her mood had changed too quickly. She was frightened before, but it was obvious that Ryushi had put that fear in her. Inside and out Kasumi was beautiful, kind and very smart, she never showed people that they had gotten to her, hit her weak spot. She was really more fragile then she let on and a hopeless romantic.  
  
Kasumi reached his lips and stopped kissing him. She seemed shocked and ashamed at what she had been doing. She bowed apologetically and sat on a cushion. A blush was forming on her cheeks making Kurama smile.  
  
"So, you do blush, I had come to think that you were unable to do so," Kurama said with a small smile.   
  
"You find that amusing, Kurama?" she asked.  
  
"No, only beautiful," he replied sitting next to her.  
  
"Stop kidding yourself…I am a joke. I fell into their lies and traps too easily," Kasumi said with a slight growl.  
  
Kurama placed his index and middle finger over her mouth. "Hey, I won't let you talk that way about yourself! You are smart and very beautiful, but some humans like to use your beauty and brains against you. Don't let them."  
  
"I'm afraid, I already have. Oh, kami-sama, this is…my stupidest mistake…I should have never-" she cried, but cut herself off before she finished. She didn't want to admit that her mistake was falling in love with him, that's why Ryushi used her.  
  
"You should never?" Kurama asked.  
  
Kasumi turned away. "I cannot say…or will not is more like it."  
  
She smiled at him it was a kind of sad smile, one knowing too well not to cross any boundaries. Then she gasped and looked around slightly.  
  
"I have to go, someone has come to my room," she said in a state of panic.  
  
Kurama nodded and let her go. She seemed to vanish and that's when he woke up, he felt dazed, but knew what was going to happen to her.  
  
  
Kasumi awoke on the floor, she felt dizzy and everything came in on the fuzzy side. She picked herself up off of the floor and sat on the chair. Quickly she fixed her hair and clothes before she sat in her usual state. Ryushi came in with an evil smirk on his face.  
  
"Kurama has only two days left to come and save you," he sneered.  
  
"Don't worry, he will come," Kasumi replied flatly.  
  
"Are you sure?" Ryushi asked.  
  
Kasumi nodded and said, "Why wouldn't I be sure? Kurama has a heart unlike you."  
  
Ryushi only chuckled and held up a rose. He held it out to her, but she refused to look at him.  
  
"Don't you want it?" he asked.  
  
"No, its thorns are surely to prick me as does a knife. Your rose has no love and shall whither without love and care," she replied.  
  
"Fine, be that way," Ryushi growled and took a lighter and set the rose on fire.   
  
He placed the burning rose in a glass vase and fire caught to the other roses in the vase. Kasumi looked sadly at the burning flowers. Only humans could be this wasteful to living things, only humans without a heart. Slowly the flames died out, but the stench of fire, burning roses and smoke hung in the room.  
  
Ryushi made his way to Kasumi's chair, the look of lust on his face. Kasumi closed her eyes; she already felt his breath on her, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She now was afraid more than before.  
  
'Oh, kami-sama, no don't let him near me…I want him far away from me as possible,' she begged in her head.  
  
Suddenly her eyes flew open, they appeared violent. Her lips curled back to a sneer and her eyes turned a pale blue, almost white. Ryushi leaned to grab for her, but Kasumi's Kitsune instincts took over her. She lunged at him grabbing him by the throat and pushing him into the table.  
  
"I told you not to touch me and yet, you refuse to comply with my wish," Kasumi growled.  
  
"You wouldn't kill me," Ryushi stated and ended it meekly, "would you?"  
  
"No," Kasumi replied. "I am not heartless. I would not kill a human."  
  
She dropped him onto the ground with a sickening thud. She turned around sharply to a henchman that was behind her.  
  
"I would take him and leave here before I decide to do anything rash," she sneered.  
  
The henchman nodded, his face was sweaty and pale. He picked Ryushi up by his arm and dragged the unconscious man out of the room without another word. The henchman just looked back nervously before he closed the door. Kasumi watched the talismans seal themselves back to the door.  
  
"Now…what the hell just happened?" she asked herself.  
  
She had strained herself to keep the Kitsune locked up inside her. Anger was the fastest way to unleash that unwanted demon. Kasumi now sat on the chair with tears falling down her face; she didn't want any more violence or trouble.  
  
She looked sadly at the table where laid the vase with ashes scattered about it and in it. The glass had turned a smoky black as it was burned and ashes from the roses filled it. Kasumi then looked to the window. Standing up, she walked to the window and looked outside to the frozen sky. It was a deep gray color. Kasumi pressed her hands against the frosty window and looked around at the snow falling lazily down the sky. How she wished she could go outside now and walk in the bitter cold.  
  
Her stomach growled unhappily. It was then she realized that she hadn't eaten in two days. Her body was now starting to feel weak and empty. Kasumi knew she had to keep faith and trust in Kurama and his friends, whoever they were. Although trust should never come this easy, but she had no choice at this point. And it was just a dream, right?  
  
~*~*~  
a/n: I am trying not to use a lot of Japanese, so, I will only use words like "Youki", "Kitsune", "Baka", "Ningen" and "kami-sama". 


	5. Chapter five

Chapter five:  
  
  
Kasumi knew it wasn't long before Ryushi returned to her room, but she used the time to think about slipping out of her room and escape. She could always kick Ryushi in the balls and make a run for it.  
  
She shook her head, "No, that won't work…he has all those damn henchmen."  
  
She pouted slightly as went to the table and looked at the burned vase again. Kasumi knew that sulking would get her nowhere, but there was defiantly no way to escape Ryushi's mansion. Besides, she had no weapons; she dropped her bamboo sword outside of the warehouse the day before. There were no plants of any kind in the room, except the burned roses, which were now just ashes on the table.  
  
Kasumi was getting rather sick of this game. Ryushi had already made his morning visit and was probably either cursing her out or still unconscious by now. Maybe he had learned his lesson about not heading to her warnings by being knocked out and hopefully Ryushi would learn to keep his hands to himself and not be his normal perverted self.   
  
"When will he come?" Kasumi asked herself, "Kurama…I pray that you come soon. Even if that was just a dream…well, I just hope it wasn't."  
  
  
At Kurama's house Shiori was now hoping that Kurama was all right. He had been in his room all morning and didn't come out. Noon, was now quickly approaching and all Shiori could do was wait for her son to come out of his bedroom and then she would talk to him and see what was bothering him.  
  
In fact, Kurama was all right, but he had left his room through the window and was now making his way to the Urameshi residence. He was going to meet Yusuke at his house, and of course Yusuke wouldn't be at school, he always cut classes or didn't even bother going to class or school.  
  
"Yo! Kurama!" Yusuke shouted from a corner.  
  
"Oh, hi, I was just on my way to your house," Kurama said.  
  
"Oh? Are you cutting school?" Yusuke asked jokingly.  
  
"No, my mother thinks that I am sick, but that's not the point," Kurama replied.  
  
Yusuke only nodded, "So, are we going to go to my place?"  
  
The two boys walked off to the Urameshi residence where they meet a very drunk Atsuko. As usual, Yusuke was use to coming home to see his mother drunk and smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Heh heh, don't mind my mother," Yusuke said, "she's always like this."  
  
"What was that Yusuke?" Atsuko asked.  
  
"Mom, quit bugging me. I'm in the middle of an important conversation," Yusuke replied.  
  
"Oh? Is talking about me so important?" Atsuko shot back.  
  
"Ugh…not really, but that's not what Suichi came here for," Yusuke said stressing Kurama's ningen name.  
  
Kurama and Yusuke sat in Yusuke's room talking. Kurama thought that it was most important to talk about that dream he had earlier that day and to find a way to hopefully get Kasumi out of the mess that she'd gotten into.  
  
"It was bizarre; it was like I was connected to her. I wouldn't even call it a dream anymore…it was just too real," Kurama said, "every sent and feeling was real. Kasumi said that Ryushi was harassing her and that she is being prevented from leaving by talismans."  
  
"Huh…that is odd," Yusuke replied. "Did she say where she was being kept?"  
  
"No," Kurama replied. "She didn't, but I have an address."  
  
"Eh, An address? So, do you have her number too?" Yusuke said jokingly.  
  
Kurama suppressed a growl in his throat and glared at Yusuke as if to tell him that this was no time to joke. Yusuke then let out a slight nervous laugh.  
  
"So, what's our plan?" he asked still with the sound of nervousness in his voice.  
  
"Well," Kurama stated, "your idea was interesting, but it doesn't sound promising."  
  
"My idea?" Yusuke wondered, "What was my idea?"  
  
Kurama sighed, "That you and Kuwabara would take care of Ryushi."  
  
"I could use a good fight," Yusuke chuckled.  
  
"But, we need a plan that will work not get us deeper in to a mess," Kurama said.  
  
Yusuke looked around his room with a confused expression crossing his face. He ran his hand quickly through his dark hair and thought silently for moment. An aggravated expression came over his face and he yelled aloud in frustration.   
  
"Dammit!! I can't think!!" Yusuke yelled.   
  
"Try calming down first. We don't have much time left as it is," Kurama stated calmly.  
  
"How can you be so calm? You like her don't you?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"If you are always stressed there is no way you will be able to think," Kurama replied.  
  
"Hm…I guess you're right," Yusuke said with a sigh.  
  
  
Kasumi was now starting to get worried, but Kurama said that he'd rescue her. Something in her gut kept warning her about the danger that she was in. Surely, something didn't seem right, Ryushi hadn't come since the morning and he should have come a while ago, but he didn't come.  
  
Suddenly the door opened and a man wearing a black suit came in. He carried a tray and placed it on the table. Kasumi didn't look at him or the tray.  
  
"Eat, there's food here for you," the man said.  
  
Kasumi only closed her eyes and refused to listen.  
  
"Maybe if you weren't so stubborn, Mr. Ryushi would be less vindictive towards you," he said. The man paused for a moment hoping for an answer, "Why don't you answer me?"  
  
"What do you want me to say? That'd I'd give in to that pervert and kill Kurama?" Kasumi asked. "There are not many Kitsunes left at all; we are a small race now, if you search hard maybe you will find one or two others in Makai or Ningenkai."  
  
The man walked over to her, she could now see his face. He had a kind expression, gentle features and a warm smile. He couldn't be evil or truly one of Ryushi's men. Ryushi usually had expressionless men who dared not to talk in such kind manner.  
  
"Why are you working for Ryushi? You are not like the others," Kasumi said.  
  
"He is my uncle, I have no choice, after my mother and father died he took me in," the man explained. "My mother said that he was a kind man, when he was younger."  
  
"Hn, what twisted his logic?"  
  
"Power, he learned of the powers of demons and grew hungry for their powers, especially those of your kind."  
  
"You mean Kitsunes?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
Kasumi shifted uneasily and looked at the man with confusion. He was a really kind man, but something scared her. It was usual for a human to show such compassion for a Kitsune, when one is known to be of the breed.  
  
"And why are you telling me this?" Kasumi asked.  
  
"You seem sad," he said, "I have never liked to see someone so sad. And to go beyond that sadness to starve yourself is worse."  
  
"Is it worse to see someone locked away?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," he replied, "but I cannot go against my uncle's will. He has become to hate me and love power more."  
  
"That's a human for you," she sneered.  
  
Kasumi stood up and went to the small window. She looked at her fingerprints on the frosty window. She smiled slightly.  
  
"I won't be going anywhere until he comes," Kasumi whispered.  
  
"You are going to wait for that red-headed Kitsune?" the man asked. Then he noticed her reflection's smile and said, "You love him, don't you?"  
  
Kasumi looked down, feeling a blush pinch her cheeks, "What does it matter? Ryushi has cameras all over the damn place, there's nowhere to hide…nowhere except here, this room."  
  
The man walked over to her and cornered her to the wall. "Come, I will set you free. You do not belong in this cage," he said.  
  
"You mustn't! If Ryushi finds you out, you are going to be killed!" she protested.  
  
"That doesn't matter…you love this Kitsune, Kurama, and you should be with him," he replied.  
  
"No, I cannot involve a human, not in this," Kasumi retorted. "Even if I want to be with Kurama, it isn't worth an innocent's life!"  
  
The man was now growing angry. It was evident on his face and in his voice, every move he made was held by anger. Kasumi was well aware of his mood, but in her heart she knew that involving a human meant trouble for her and him as well. The man grabbed his by the wrist making her wince in pain.  
  
"This is no game, you come now, or you will be dead for sure," he growled.  
  
Kasumi nodded meekly; in her current state she was so weak…everything hurt her so much.  
  
"So," she said timidly, "when do we leave?"  
  
  
"I say we take 'em by force!" Kuwabara exclaimed.  
  
"And what good would that do?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"Gee…I dunno, it just sounds good," Kuwabara replied.  
  
Kurama sat in thought, it seemed like he hadn't heard a word that Yusuke or Kuwabara had said all afternoon. It was now around four-ish, and they hadn't even come up with the slightest plan.  
  
"Kuwabara's plan isn't as bad as you think Yusuke," Kurama said suddenly.  
  
"Huh? Are you saying you heard everything? But, it seemed like you didn't hear anything we had said," Yusuke said with shock in his voice.  
  
"That is not important now. I wouldn't exactly say, 'take by force' but maybe outwit them is more like it. We need to get into the headquarters and get Kasumi out of there without much of a fight," Kurama explained.  
  
"Makes sense, I guess," Yusuke replied, "but how would we do that?"  
  
"We will meet tonight at the bus station, I would say around six or seven tonight," Kurama said.  
  
"Can't we have a more set time?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
"Fine, 6:30, ok?" Yusuke replied with annoyance.  
  
~*~*~  
a/n: Hey! I still haven't gotten a name for my mysterious man who helps Kasumi, any suggestions would be great (please stay away from Keisuke or Kenji...I over use them...or any really old names like Kenshin or Aoshi) 


	6. Chapter six

Chapter six:  
  
Kurama headed back home from Yusuke's house. His only thought was hoping that Kasumi was safe and that Ryushi hadn't gone back on his word. Kurama technically hand another whole day until he had to save her. But how could he ignore her pleas for help?  
  
He got into his house through the window he opened earlier and sat in thought thinking of an excuse to tell his mother.  
  
"Suichi! Dinner's ready!" Shiori said.  
  
"Ok, I'll be out in a minute," Kurama replied.  
  
Dinner at the Minamino residence was quieter than normal. Shiori didn't bring up Kasumi that night or anything that might upset her son. It had occurred to her that her Suichi was very close with the young girl and that he was very upset with the matter.  
  
"Mother, I am going to a friend's house tonight," Kurama said quietly.  
  
Shiori nodded. "Suichi, which friend are you staying with?" she asked.  
  
"Yusuke's house…I will call you when I get there," he replied and walked out of the door with a backpack on one shoulder.  
  
It was now nearly 6:00 and Kurama knew he had to be at the bus station. Time was definitely not on his side tonight and that it wasn't going to be favorable if he missed the bus.  
The door opened and Ryushi's nephew poked his head out of the door. He looked around then walked out dragging Kasumi along by her wrist. Together they walked lightly, careful not to step on any loose boards that would creak. Kasumi would throw him a worried glance every so often; she didn't fully trust this man. He was strange to her, but he did seem nice…even though he was a bit bossy.  
  
"Hey, don't you worry, you'll be safe and in that Kitsune's arms before you know it," he said to her.  
  
Kasumi only nodded and followed his orders. She couldn't do anything at this point; she was weak, so much for being great and powerful. A cold fear crept up her back and tingled her spine. Kasumi shook her head, she was just imagining that something bad was about to happen. These bad feelings weren't necessarily correct, maybe she was paranoid, yes, that was it, she was paranoid because what had happened in the past few days.  
  
"So, how do we get out of here?" she asked.  
  
"Don't worry," he said with a smile, "I know my way around and we will get out of here in no time!"  
  
He definitely had a teenage air to him; something about him seemed youthful although he looked in his twenties. He wasn't old, but he was taking youthful risks, that one shouldn't take.  
  
"But, what if we are caught?" Kasumi said now starting to panic.  
  
"Then…we'll die," he replied simply, almost cockily.  
  
Kasumi huffed slightly and gave herself a mental smack as if telling her she shouldn't have listened to him. The man had a very flexible personality, almost too flexible that it screamed for trouble to start. Then she suspected that he was looking for a reward for saving her, but she would have preferred to wait for Kurama. If she had done that then there was the possibility of Kurama being killed before he even arrived at the mansion.  
  
'No!' she snapped at herself. 'Don't think that! Kurama will make it…or I'll get back before he comes.'  
  
Kasumi stopped walking and paled, "I don't think we should go this way…"  
  
"Why not?" he demanded.  
  
"Well…I got a bad vibe from that direction," Kasumi whispered.  
  
"Are you kidding me?" the man asked.  
  
"No, why would I? Seriously, you know nothing about a Kitsune, do you?" she replied, gaining some of her confidence back.  
  
Kasumi stiffened as she heard footsteps come closer.  
It was now 6:20 and Kurama broke into a run. The bus station was another ten minutes away walking distance, he had hoped by running that he would cut the time in half. He was a mess within, with the mixed feelings of guilt and anger flooding him, Kurama was surprised that he had remained calm and hadn't exploded into a fit of rage.  
  
Just as he thought, five minutes later he arrived at the bus station, but to find that Yusuke and Kuwabara were not there. It didn't surprise him that they weren't there…this was Yusuke Urameshi we were talking about and Kazuma Kuwabara, why would they bother being on time? Kurama sighed and waited patently for Yusuke and Kuwabara to show up.  
  
"What fools," a voice said from behind Kurama. "You can never trust humans, Kurama."  
  
"Hiei, what are you doing here?" Kurama asked.  
  
"Nothing…just was walking by," the Koorime replied with a snort. "I have seen the mansion on the paper…they are heavily guarded."  
  
"They know I am coming…how convenient," Kurama said, "I just hope they haven't done anything to her."  
  
Hiei scowled at Kurama and walked away. He didn't like how Kurama was acting or how this girl had enchanted him. This was Kurama's problem not his. It was always better not to get involved, like Yusuke and Kuwabara did, but sit on the side and lend a little information.  
  
It was nearly 6:30 when Yusuke and Kuwabara arrived at the bus station. Kurama hardly said anything, but they weren't late, for once. He looked as if it was an improvement, but a very minor one.  
  
"Good, you're here," Kurama said after a minute.  
  
Yusuke nodded as he wiped some sweat from his forehead. Kuwabara continued to breathe heavily and couched down to the ground waiting for his breath to come back to him.  
  
"Stop being stupid, Kuwabara. My house was only fifteen minutes away from here!" Yusuke said.  
  
Kurama said nothing as the bus pulled up to the station. It was just luck that Yusuke and Kuwabara showed up before the bus has actually came. Yusuke and the others boarded the bus and hoped that they could make it in time.  
Kasumi started to take a few steps back as Ryushi moved closer to her. A wicked grin was fixed upon his oblong face, making Kasumi shudder. Ryushi started to walk faster moving Kasumi into a corner.  
  
"Ah, it's the little viper," he chuckled evilly, "but the poor thing has gotten her fangs ripped out."  
  
"Stay away from me!" Kasumi shouted. "Away!"  
  
As Ryushi approached her she shut her eyes. She could feel his hot breath on her skin. Everything around her couldn't be more frightening then Ryushi. A bead of sweat rolled down her paling skin, her breath quickened as fear crept closer to her heart.   
  
'So,' Kasumi thought bitterly, 'this is how my life's going to end…what a pathetic way to die, to a human no less.'  
  
Kasumi bit her lip and desperately looked for away out of her situation. She pressed her back to the wall, bracing herself, but without a weapon she was pretty much defenseless and vulnerable. Suddenly she heard Ryushi yell out in pain. Kasumi opened one eye to take a peak and saw him, Ryushi's nephew, holding Ryushi in a choke hold.  
  
"Shin, you wouldn't hurt your own flesh and blood would you?" Ryushi asked meekly.  
  
The man, Shin, narrowed his eyes. "All you have done is hurt others and got away with murder, not anymore! I will bring you to justice."  
  
Ryushi let out a whimper and went limp. Kasumi noted that it had to be a trick, because Ryushi was able to breathe and he couldn't have passed out that easily. Shin threw him aside and started to walk away, there was an obvious anger in his eyes and in his posture, and something had told Kasumi that she shouldn't say anything to make him mad.  
  
"Hey, Kitsune-girl, come!" Shin commanded.  
  
Kasumi nodded, but she didn't take her eyes off Ryushi. She knew that he was only playing a trick and that as soon as they were on their way out, Ryushi would attack them. She then cased a quick glance over at Shin; he had stopped walking and had turned around to face Kasumi.  
  
"Kitsune-girl, I said come!" he shouted.  
  
"Yes, but…do you really think he's down?" Kasumi asked.  
  
"No, but frankly I do not care, he could lie on the floor all day if he pleased," Shin replied. "Now, come before I come and get you."  
  
This time Kasumi obeyed and walked over to Shin. They started to walk down the hall and towards the exit, when Ryushi got back up, a wicked smile spread across his lips. He held a gun out pointed at Shin and he didn't appear to be afraid to use it.  
  
"You really should have listened to the girl, Shin. She could have spared your life," Ryushi sneered.  
  
Shin smiled wryly, "Do you honestly think I'd be that easy to catch, Uncle, or have you forgotten?"  
  
Shin moved swiftly holding Kasumi in front of him as a shield. The expression of panic was written upon her face.  
  
"What are you doing?!" she asked.  
  
Shin didn't reply.  
  
Ryushi took a few steps closer and said, "I don't care if the girl lives or dies, I would kill her now and you know it. What is the point of saving her if you will get her killed?"  
  
Shin just grinned and took out his gun. "What is the point of having a captive if you would kill her before schedule?"  
  
Both men laughed now, filling the hallway with their eerie presence. Kasumi thought they were losing it, or had already known the outcome of this duel. Either way one of them would lose either it was the alpha wolf or his beta, one of them would die today.  
  
~*~*~  
a/n: Hello everyone! I know it has been awhile! But Chapter six is here and chapter seven is on its way! We have a cliff hanger isn't that exciting! I bet you are wondering what will happen next! Will Shin die or will Ryushi?  
Oh, and thank you to all you who summited names for Shin's character, but the offical name was given to me by a Japanese girl named Rie, who I met on a trip. 


	7. Chapter seven

Chapter seven:  
The two men just stood there with their guns drawn and upon their faces were wicked grins. It would be decided within moments, who lives and who dies, the fate of Kasumi rested upon this decision. Kasumi stood there helpless in front of Shin, left hand held her there. Then Shin pushed her out of the way, he and Ryushi started to shoot their guns.  
  
And within ten shots it was over. Ryushi fell to his knees grabbing his right arm in pain, blood dripping down his arm and streaming on his left hand. Shin fell to the ground with a thud, blood oozing from his chest and both arms, he laughed weakly as he held his chest.  
  
'How could he be laughing?' Kasumi wondered not letting it hit her that Shin was dying.  
  
"You shall die, Uncle, and justice shall be brought upon you," Shin said and went limp.  
  
"Shin!" Kasumi yelled and ran to his limp body.  
  
"He is dead, woman, there is no point in trying to save him now," Ryushi said, "but as for you."  
  
Ryushi struggled to raise his dominate hand; he managed and pointed the gun at Kasumi. He laughed wickedly at her and he climbed to his feet and walked towards her. She let out a small yelp and moved away from Shin's body.  
  
"I don't believe you! Ryushi, you bastard, you killed your own flesh and blood!" Kasumi shouted.  
  
"We all do what we must, Kasumi, I am sure you would do the same," Ryushi replied.  
  
"Never!" Kasumi retorted, "I could never sink to your level."  
  
Kasumi felt herself gasping for air as her fear heightened. She kept scolding herself about trusting these humans and forced herself to run. Each step feeling like she was lifting lead and it kept getting heavier and heavier until she couldn't run anymore. Tears stung her eyes as she fell to her knees. Kasumi clutched her chest, a growing pain spread throughout her and she went black.  
"Man, how much longer will this take?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
"You didn't have to come, Kuwabara," Kurama replied.  
  
Yusuke just shot Kuwabara a nasty look as if telling him to shut up. It was bad enough that Koenma has assigned them to save this girl, but even worse that Kuwabara had to come and complain. Yusuke was in no mood to be toyed with or even have a conversation tonight. He looked over to Kurama, who was sitting there with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Kurama seemed so calm, he always did, but how could one keep so calm when someone they knew was being held captive, even if it is hard to think if there is stress upon you…but, sometimes stress is good.  
  
Yusuke tried to close him eyes and wished for sleep, now that he has to fight a stupid human who thinks he's so hot by kidnapping someone. It had seemed to him that this bus ride was taking forever; it felt like hours had already passed by and their stop was not for another hour or so. Yusuke grumbled and opened his eyes, sleep was not coming easy for him today, usually he could sleep anywhere at anytime.  
  
"Hey, Urameshi, do you think this Kasumi-girl is hot?" Kuwabara whispered.  
  
"She has to be if Kurama likes her," Yusuke replied.  
  
"True," Kuwabara said and took out his Game Boy (a/n: you know "the brick"* since this is somewhere around 1992, the Game Boy color hasn't come out yet or Game Boy Pocket for that matter).  
  
"Kuwabara, why'd you haul that big thing with you?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"Shut up, it's better then doin' nothin'," Kuwabara replied with a low growl.  
  
"Ok, ok," Yusuke said and went back to trying to sleep.  
  
Kurama slowly opened his eyes and looked at his friends. Kuwabara was playing his Game Boy with his tongue sticking out off to the side as he pressed the buttons rapidly. It amazed Kurama that Kuwabara spent more time working on games then anything else. Suddenly, Kuwabara looked shocked and scowled at his Game Boy.  
  
"Dammit…I died," Kuwabara muttered and then looked at Kurama. "Kurama, what is this Kasumi-girl like?"  
  
"Different," Kurama said simply. "She is like no one I have ever met, she was always so cheerful in school, but she holds an amazing amount of rage when you get her mad."  
  
"Is she hot?" Kuwabara asked with more interest.  
  
"What? Well, she is beautiful, that is for sure. But, I thought you had a girlfriend," Kurama replied.  
  
Kuwabara nodded, "I do, but…hey! Didn't you like Botan a while back?"  
  
"Botan…I haven't heard her name in a while," Kurama said wistfully and shook his head. "She likes Koenma and so I let her go."  
  
Kuwabara looked puzzled, "You've gotta be kiddin' me! Koenma? That's funny, Kurama, but she doesn't."  
  
Kurama sighed and looked out the window. "Botan is not for me…Kasumi, it is a possibility, since we are alike."  
  
Kuwabara looked even more puzzled and gave an annoyed snort, "How the hell are you two alike? I mean, besides being Kitsune?"  
  
"Hey, would you mind shutting the hell up, Kuwabara? Some people would like to sleep!" Yusuke growled.  
  
Kuwabara replied with a muttered sorry and started to play his Game Boy again. A small smile played upon Kurama's face, how he envied Kuwabara sometimes. Nothing seemed to bother him and what did bother him mattered the most to him…even if it was a silly game. Kurama on the other hand, always had his calm façade on while inside he was a nervous wreck. Somehow, Botan's name seemed to calm the nerves. It was possibly her cheerful smile or her optimism that made everything seem alright.  
Kasumi opened her eyes slowly and sat up off the floor. She looked around and realized that she was back in the small room. Her head hurt and so did her stomach and her chest for that matter.  
  
"What the hell was that before?" she asked herself.  
  
She blinked a couple of times before letting everything that just happened sink in. Shin, the man who had tried to save her, was dead and now Ryushi holds an even tighter grip on her life. It didn't matter to her, not any more. Kasumi was loosing hope and nothing she did seem to matter. She felt weak and lost.  
  
"A lost Kitsune," she muttered with a short sad laugh, "what are the chances of that?"  
  
She lifted herself off the floor, misery upon her face as she walked to the small window. The snow had stopped and it stuck to the ground. The fingerprints she had left on the window earlier in the day had frosted up again. There was sadness in the dark sky as it was lit up dully by the moonlight on the clouds. The clouds moved slowly and lazily across the night sky. Kasumi yearned to be there with the bitter cold snow and the clouded sky.  
  
Out of almost instinct Kasumi's lips moved and her voice flowed through her lips in a soft tune. It was something she had heard from Keisuke when he brought his girlfriend, Kira, over once. The song was from America and not very popular in Japan, but it was played on a few radio stations. It seemed to comfort her in an ironic way. The song just coursed through her and came out of her lips. Her angelic voice fit the song well, though traditionally men sing the song, but there was no reason that she couldn't sing it.  
  
As each note came out, Kasumi's hope grew. She could feel her brother's love through the song and it gave her courage. Something had clearly forced her to sing or more like that she had to sing. It was something that had always made her feel better. A tear fell from her eyes as she felt lost like a child in the woods, her brother and mother clouded her brain. Their embrace and warmth filled her heart and the urge to see them grew. Kasumi missed them so much that it was painful.  
  
She never knew that two days could feel like eternity. She felt homesick and very tired. Kasumi never thought she could feel this way especially about humans. She had shed enough tears for one day, but she couldn't help it, they kept flowing in an endless stream.   
  
"Where are they coming from?" she asked herself at the conclusion of her song.  
  
Kasumi stared at the sky a bit longer before moving away from the window and sitting on the floor. She let her tears consume her, making herself feel a bit better and refreshed. She mentally told herself that they were making her stronger and emotions are a key to feeling relief and an asset to her strength. Before long Kasumi fell asleep weary from her tears and the events that had happened during the day.  
Kurama sat on the bus. He felt drowsy and often closed his eyes for several minutes before opening them again. Yusuke and Kuwabara were in a heated debate about who helps the team or not. Kurama found it hard to sleep over their bickering and listened in; they did not seem to notice that Kurama was awake.  
  
"I'm definitely the most helpful!" Kuwabara said proudly.  
  
"Helpful my ass, Kuwabara! You rather fun around and impress Yukina all day!" Yusuke snapped.  
  
"The Shrimp is the least helpful!" Kuwabara growled.  
  
"No way! Hiei's more help then you some times," Yusuke replied. "And don't even bother saying that I am no help, because I am the freaking Spirit Detective!"  
  
"Botan's hardly help…she comes and delivers info and that it," Kuwabara pouted.  
  
"Botan helps more then you know, Kuwabara," Kurama said. "She sticks herself in more danger then she is needed to be in"  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara stopped arguing and looked at Kurama with blank stares.   
  
"Right, there you go again, Kurama," Yusuke said.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kurama asked.  
  
"You're stickin' up for Botan again...that settles it. Urameshi, don' you agree?" Kuwabara replied.  
  
"Totally! Man, you're a sucker for Botan's 'seductive' powers!!" Yusuke laughed.  
  
Kurama felt a bit flustered and asked what Yusuke had meant and Yusuke gave Kurama am easy way out answer. Kuwabara laughed at Kurama's confusion and went on about Botan being "cute".  
  
"Hey, don't gimme that crap! You fell in love with Botan too when you first met her," Yusuke complained.  
  
"Well…that was…uh…" Kuwabara stuttered and looked at his friends with a reddened face.  
~*~*~  
a/n: So…it turns out that there will be a love triangle. Seriously, everything is written as I come up with it.  
  
Notes:  
  
* "The Brick" is what my best friend and I call the very, very old Game Boy…meaning the very first Game Boy that came out (The gray bulky one.)  
  
As for Kasumi's song that she was singing in this chapter, well it was "Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Savage Garden, it so happened that I used the song that I was listening to at the moment as part of my story…but I didn't include the lyrics. Before writing what I had, I was going to have her sing a Japanese song, perhaps "Karayami ni Akai Bara ~ Romantic Soldier", but I found it redundant so I left the lyrics out and thought of an American song I love. 


	8. Chapter eight

Chapter eight:  
  
Time couldn't go slower for Karama and the others; they still had a half hour to go before they were supposed to reach their destination. Karama let out an angry sigh and closed his eyes.  
  
"Sorry for the inconvenience, but due to a traffic accident on the road, we will be delayed," an announcer on the bus, said.  
  
"Crap!" Yusuke muttered.  
  
"You think we'll make it on time?" Kuwabara asked stupidly.  
  
"I doubt it! Damn people, they don't know how to friggen' drive!" Yusuke growled.  
  
Kurama said nothing; he did not wish to stir up more of an argument by getting involved. It was true that he was a little aggravated with the fact that there was a delay, but there was nothing that he could do about it. It figures that everything goes wrong for them every time, but then again, what could they do about it? The answer was nothing.  
  
In Reikai everything was not going well either. Botan was just summoned to Koenma's office for an important meeting. She wondered how important it was, not very important if Yusuke and the others were already on a case, unless some new evil had popped up out of nowhere.  
  
"I'm here, Koenma," Botan said.  
  
She did not look well. Her face was paler then usual and her hair was in a mess. It looked as if she had rushed from a sound sleep to meet Koenma. A fellow ferrygirl stood by Botan's side.  
  
"Botan what is wrong today?" Koenma asked taking a good look at Botan.  
  
"I was sleeping, sir…I know I shouldn't have been sleeping," she said fairly rushed, "I'm sorry."  
  
Koenma shook his head. Botan was fairly air-headed and usually caused some troubles, but she did always get her job done. That is why Koenma always depended on Botan.  
  
"Never mind that! I need you to find Yusuke!" Koenma stated.  
  
"Why…sir?" she asked.  
  
"Because! Well, because…I just need to talk to him in person," the Reikai prince replied.  
  
"What?! You're serious sir, you just want to talk to him? But, he is on a case at the moment," Botan stated.  
  
"I don't give a hissy-fit if he is on a case, I need you to get Yusuke now!" Koenma snapped.  
  
Botan nodded, "Yes sir…I'll bring him right to you as soon as I can."  
  
With that Botan bowed and left to get Yusuke. She summoned her oar and road off to Ningenkai. Botan sighed, she had never seen Koenma so impatient in her time working in Reikai…no she has, Koenma was always impatient and very selfish.  
  
Kasumi laid asleep in her chamber. As she slept tears rolled down her face and onto the floor. Her brown hair in a mess and her dress had rips along the bottom. For the sleeping girl time flowed like sand between her fingers. She wished she could sleep all day and all night, but that was not an option for her.  
  
Suddenly there was a thud, like someone had dropped a bowling ball on the roof above her. The sound had caused Kasumi to be startled and wake up. And like a child she curled herself into a ball and looked upwards to see if there was anything threatening her. The sound came again, this time being louder then the last. Kasumi jumped from the noise and ran far from the center of the room. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying out.  
  
A low growl escaped Kasumi's throat as she glared at the ceiling, but the sound did not come again. She turned around and peered out of the small window, hoping to find something out there, but there was nothing, but the sky and a few trees. The wind was starting to pick up and the window started to rattle as the wind used its forceful hands on the glass. The snow had come again, this time more fierce then last time blowing and swirling in an angry pattern. The wind howled loudly as if a wolf's cry was being sounded.  
  
Botan rushed on her oar. Her hair blowing into her face as she flew above the snow clouds in search of Yusuke. She let out a sigh as she tried to figure out where to check first. Possibly they had already reached their destination.  
  
"Bingo!" Botan said happily as she rushed off to the mansion.  
  
She was glad that Yusuke gave her the address that was on the paper. A smile spread across her face as she flew in the cold air, sure she was cold, but she was happy to get out of Reikai for a while. Koenma had disturbed her from a very peaceful and a quite good dream.  
  
'Why do bad guys make everything so obvious?' she thought with a slight giggle.  
  
As she reached the mansion, she could not help but to wonder why an organization would put such a nice house to waste. Botan flew down fast hoping to avoid the great winds that blew, but it was no use, the wind blew her right off her course and into another direction. She tried desperately to go back in the right direction, but the wind was being stubborn and kept pushing her in the same direction.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Botan was tossed to the ground by a mighty wind.  
  
Kasumi's eyes opened wide as she saw a girl with sky blue hair fall from the sky. Slowly she backed up from the window and ran to the door. Without thinking she grabbed the doorknob. It felt like hundreds of knives cutting into her hand, each wanting to slice a piece of her. Quickly she let go of the doorknob and sank to the ground cradling her wounded hand.  
  
Within minutes the door opened and the girl with the blue hair was thrown in the room. She was knocked unconscious with light bruises upon her face and hands. Kasumi scrambled over to the mysterious girl and shook her awake.  
  
"Kurama…Yusuke…is that you?" she asked weakly.  
  
"'Kurama'?" Kasumi asked. "Do you know him?"  
  
Botan blinked a couple of times; now that she was fully awake she nodded in response.  
  
"How do you know him?" Kasumi asked, now more curious.  
  
"I work with him and three other guys as the assistant to the Spirit Detective," Botan replied. "I'm Botan by the way."  
  
"Kasumi," Kasumi stated.  
  
Botan looked shocked, but a small smile appeared on her face. She took out her communication mirror.  
  
"Yusuke, Botan here, I found her. She's fine, but I got myself into a little trouble…hehehe," she said.  
  
Botan let out a small gasp as Kurama came onto the screen, he seemed fairly concerned.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked.  
  
Botan nodded, "I'm fine, just a couple of cuts…that's all."  
  
"You do not look well," Kurama stated.  
  
"Just tired, Koenma woke up to deliver a message to Yusuke," Botan replied. "He needs to meet Yusuke, but he wouldn't tell me why."  
  
"Just stay there, we will be there in a little bit," Kurama said.  
  
Botan let out a nervous giggle, "I can't go anywhere they took me as a prisoner, but I can't talk now. Bye."  
  
With that Botan closed the mirror and put it away. She yawned and sat near Kasumi. Botan gave her a smile that said that help was on its way and just to hold tight until then.  
  
"Little fox, little fox, come and play," a voice sang. "The farmer's not here so it will all be ok. His wife has gone to sleep and the snow is friendly. Little fox, little fox, come out and play this game."  
  
At the close of the child-like song, the door opened slowly. Botan and Kasumi let out a gasp.  
  
Kurama gave the communication mirror back to Yusuke. Something in his face said that something bad has occurred. Yusuke looked at his friend sadly and looked down.  
  
"She didn't look well," Yusuke said softly.  
  
"I know, she is tougher then she looks," Kurama replied. "Koenma is blind."  
  
"Why wha'd he do?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
"Botan is not well, she won't admit it, but she looks sick. Koenma is blind to her pain and sends her on missions," the Kitsune said.  
  
Kuwabara let out a small "oh" and remained silent as he looked out of the window at the slow-moving traffic. There was a long silence between the three. Each had expressions of sadness and lost hope.  
  
"We'll rescue her," Yusuke said breaking the silence. "That is the least we can do for her."  
  
Kurama did not reply, but looked down at his hands. This was going too far, Ryushi had his fun and now it was time for pay-back. At this point, Kurama didn't care whether Ryushi was killed or just put into eternal torture. The easiest way to put this down was to kill Ryushi, but that wouldn't justify all the lives that were made bitter or taken away.  
  
"Cheer up, Kurama we'll save 'em," Kuwabara said giving Kurama a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  
  
All Kurama could do was give a shallow nod and suppress a smile. Yusuke and Kuwabara were doing all they could. They did not like the fact that Ryushi had taken Botan captive anymore then Kurama did. For some reason Kurama knew that Hiei would sneer and say, "Just great, another person to rescue."  
  
"What is our plan now?" Kurama asked.  
  
"They must know we're coming…we can giver into their demands," Yusuke replied.  
  
"Their demands are for my death," Kurama stated.  
  
"I see. Crap, that leaves us with no option," Yusuke said, "Well it just means that we have to fight!"  
  
Kurama sighed, "Yes, they do like to leave us with no options."  
  
~*~*~  
  
a/n: Ok, so how is it? A nice twist, heh? :::Gets smaked by Yusuke:::  
  
Yusuke: What's the big idea!  
  
Botan: Why I think it was a great idea!  
  
Yusuke: It sucks!  
  
Botan: Grr....I need an opinion, who should Kurama choose Botan or Kasumi? I personally think Botan, but I want your opinion.   
  
((Ok, I've lost it.....hehe, Dana, I am insane...and a terrible author)) 


	9. Chapter nine

Chapter nine:  
  
Botan and Kasumi moved far away from the door as Ryushi came into the door followed by two men. An evil smile lit on his face as he looked at the two girls. He took several steps in Botan's direction.  
  
"Stay away from me!" Botan yelled.  
  
"Look, what we've caught," Ryushi said as he looked closely at Botan. "It looks like a blue-haired angel."  
  
Botan summoned her oar and put it in front of her in defense. "I said stay away! I will use this on you if I have to."  
  
Ryushi wasn't fazed by Botan's acts of self-defense, but was fairly amused by her attempt. His smile widened as he took a couple more steps closer to the deity.  
  
"You are that girl that is often seen with that Kitsune and his friends," Ryushi said.  
  
"Leave them alone!" Botan snapped.  
  
A chuckle escaped Ryushi's lips as he easily grabbed a hold of Botan's oar and threw it away, making it disappear.   
  
Botan sank to the ground, "What do you want with me?"  
  
"Nothing, just stay out of the way," Ryushi replied.  
  
"Then…" Botan said hesitantly, "can't you let me go?"  
  
"No! Why in the devil's name would I do that?!" Ryushi retorted.  
  
She scooted away quickly, "B-because, Y-you will be v-very sorry that you didn't."  
  
Ryushi laughed aloud and managed a wicked smile. Botan's threats were nothing; she was just scared and therefore made up an excuse. Empty threats only amused Ryushi and made him eager to just get the job done, he wanted both girls dead now; it was obvious that Botan had a connection with Kurama, a fairly strong one at that.  
  
Ryushi took a few steps closer to Botan, she yelped and moved father away. Kasumi smiled watching this, noticing that Ryushi had left the door opened, but the two guards posed as a potential threat. Slowly Kasumi moved to the side, in hopes that they would not notice her movements and hit one of the guards at the base of his head, knocking him unconscious.   
  
"Hey you, stop!" the other guard shouted as Kasumi fled quickly.  
  
Ryushi turned around to find that Kasumi left. He picked up his radio that hung leisurely at his side and commanded that Kasumi was to be found immediately. He grabbed Botan roughly by her wrist and dragged her along with him.  
  
The bus stopped in the richer part of Tokyo. That was Kurama's que that they had reached their destination. The traffic had delayed them for about an hour, but they had made it.  
  
With a yawn Kuwabara got off the bus and looked at his watch, "It's 9:00 already?!"  
  
"We were stuck in traffic for an hour or so," Yusuke replied.  
  
"Yes, now, if my map is correct, the mansion is that way," Kurama said pointing to the right.  
  
The other two nodded and they started off in the direction that Kurama had pointed out. They were amazed at all the mansions they saw, but Kurama insisted that Ryushi's mansion was not for at least another mile or so. Kuwabara kept muttering on first they had to take a bus to hike for a mile or two in the bitter cold.  
  
"Stop complaining Kuwabara, at least the blizzard stopped," Yusuke growled.  
  
"Yeah, only to get snow in your shoes and freeze your toes off," Kuwabara muttered.  
  
"We should be there in fifteen to twenty minutes if we are lucky," Kurama said.  
  
The group continued to march on, their faces showed the exhaustion of the progressing day. They did not wish to stop for any reason and hoped to get to the mansion. The snow glistened with the moon's light; it must have been a foot deep, making it hard to walk in.  
  
Botan and Kasumi ran as fast as they could while being chased by five men, including Ryushi. They just kept going until they reached a large room. There, fifteen other men showed up and surrounded them.  
  
"Whoops, maybe I should have made that turn," Kasumi said.  
  
"What now?" Botan asked.  
  
Kasumi shrugged, "We could always fight them."  
  
"What? Come on, now, twenty to two, how could we win?" Botan panicked.  
  
"Dumb luck," Kasumi replied, "but we could always use that oar of yours and fly away."  
  
Botan let out a groan as she pretty much face faulted. Now what…they were trapped and surrounded by nineteen expressionless faces and Ryushi, what could they do?  
  
There was a beeping sound and Ryushi picked up a walkie-talkie. He walked out of the room and talked there. Within a couple of minutes he came back with a smug expression.  
  
"We've got him," Ryushi sneered. "He should be here any minute, and then it will all begin."  
  
"What are you up to?" Botan asked.  
  
"It is nothing important to you," he replied.  
  
"You're going to hurt him! I won't let you!" Botan shouted. "If you touch any of those boys…I will personally see to your death."  
  
An evil grin appeared on Ryushi's face, "Ooh, so fighting, especially coming from you."  
  
"I will see to it as well," Kasumi stated.  
  
Ryushi laughed evilly. He looked at the girls' firm expressions with a nasty grin. He could always have his fun and torture Kurama more by killing both girls slowly. What a delight that would be for him, the thought of Kurama's face as the girls died. It seemed there was no end to Ryushi's cruelty.  
  
"Go greet our guests," Ryushi said to one of his henchmen.  
  
The man bowed and left, walking to the main entrance.  
  
"Ah, here we are," Kurama said.  
  
"Damn, these rich people sure know how to live," Yusuke remarked.  
  
"Yeah, their money's endless, man, I wish I had that money," Kuwabara laughed.  
  
They walked up to the gates. Kurama turned to a tree behind him upon the feeling that someone was watching them. From the tree a figure jumped down to the ground with great speed.  
  
"I thought you said that humans were untrustworthy," Kurama said.  
  
Hiei snorted, "That's why I came."  
  
The gate opened automatically. The Tentei looked at each other then proceeded to walk to the mansion. Kuwabara looked around in amazement.  
  
"Oh, wow, I bet they have everything here," he gawked.   
  
"We are not here for fun, Kuwabara," Kurama reminded him.  
  
The front pathway of the house was alone amazing. It was almost like a maze of cars with a large fountain in the center of the driveway. A straight line wouldn't cut it here; they turned at almost every other car, trying to seek the entrance, the snow only made it worse. Hiei looked at his friend, a look of pity etched softly in his face. It never amazed him that Kurama could hide his worry or fear, but in a sense, it was not a good trait. Hell, who was he to think this stuff? Hiei always kept things to himself. There were things no one knew, no one at all except him.  
  
The group of four reached the door to be greeted by a man in suit. The man was expressionless and bowed briskly at the Tentei. He led them into the room where Ryushi was with Kasumi and Botan. The girls stood in the middle of the room, both appeared exhausted.  
  
"Kurama!" Kasumi yelled.  
  
"Yusuke! Kurama" Botan shouted and made an effort to run to them.  
  
"Hold it right there," one of Ryushi's henchmen said and garbed Botan's wrist roughly making her cry out.  
  
"That is enough!" Kurama snapped. "If it is me you after, then here I am, so leave them out of it."  
  
Ryushi laughed, "Very courageous of you Kitsune, however the little angel has nothing to do with this."  
  
At Ryushi's snap, the henchman walked forward, still having a tight hold on Botan's wrist. He walked up to Kurama and threw Botan into his arms roughly. Kurama caught her and glared at the henchman then looked to Botan with concerned eyes.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked her.  
  
Botan nodded weakly and pulled away from Kurama. She had a bad feeling about this; something bad was about to happen. Kurama walked toward Ryushi, who took out a gun.  
  
"Kurama stop!" Botan cried.  
  
Ryushi shot the gun, leaving a bullet hole in the draping sleeve of Botan's kimono. "Quiet woman! Ryushi snarled. "You stay out of this before you die too."  
  
Kasumi gulped, but said nothing. She hated Ryushi, but he scared her and to think how strong she was before. This was leaving a scar on her heart and in her mind. She didn't know if she could trust people, except her family, right away.   
  
"Ryo, Tomo, take our little Kitsune here to her proper viewing seat," Ryushi said.  
  
Two henchmen came and took Kasumi by her arms. They dragged her away towards the door. Kurama glared at the two men dragging Kasumi, he started to walk in her direction, only to have five henchmen stand in his way. Kurama gritted his teeth and watched as Kasumi was taken out the door and to some unknown location.  
  
"Ryushi, you better not touch that girl," Kurama warned.  
  
Ryushi just grinned evilly at Kurama, "Why would I do that?"  
  
"You bastard!" Yusuke shouted.  
  
"Believe me, the show will start soon enough," Ryushi said.  
  
~*~*~  
  
a/n: So how is it?  
  
Yusuke: Sucks.  
  
Botan: I like it.  
  
Yukina: I like it too.  
  
Yusuke: Crap, out numbered.  
  
Botan: I know most of you want Kurama to be with Kasumi, but I still haven't decided. Ne, Dana-chan you never said who you wanted Kurama to be with. Meanie!! Nah, j/k.  
  
Oh! Chapter Ten will be a long wait, because I have exams and well, I am leaving for Vegas soon. 


	10. Chapter ten

Chapter ten:  
  
Ryushi laughed evilly. Kuwabara looked to his friends with confusion.  
  
"What did he mean, 'the show will start soon'?" he asked.  
  
"What do you think stupid?" Hiei snarled, "He means that he will come after Kurama."  
  
Kuwabara managed a small "oh" before being shaken by the events around him. There was a low rumbling sound and in the ceiling a door opened. From that door a large metal object came from it, it was long almost a capsule shape. It had a large clear door showing Kasumi.  
  
"Oh my..." Botan muttered.  
  
"Ryushi, what is your plan?" Kurama asked quietly, angrily.  
  
Ryushi just sneered and pointed his gun at Kurama. Hiei drew his Kanata and Kuwabara powered up his Rei-ken. Kurama looked to his friends and shook his head. Hiei lowered his Katana in shock, in the end Kurama had planned to fight alone.   
  
Kurama took a tense step forward. "Stop, this is my fight. I know you all want to help me, but this is something I must do alone."  
  
"Kurama, stop this nonsense," Hiei growled, "you put on a brave front, but you are no match for technology."  
  
Kurama turned to Hiei with a sharp glare, "What am I supposed to do, abandon this girl?"  
  
Kasumi banged her hands against the door her lips were moving, but no sound passed through. All she could do was hit the door and hope that her message would get through to Kurama and the others, for she could see everything that happened below her, but was being kept from warning them.  
  
"Kurama watch out!" Botan yelled.  
  
Kurama turned around only to get shot in the arm by Ryushi. If he hadn't turned it would have been a clear shot to the upper back. He winced from the pain, and looked at his arm. Blood poured in a stream from where the bullet wound was. The arm was useless, if he tried to move it, the bullet may go deeper.   
  
"I am fine, the bullet did not go deep," he assured his friends.  
  
"Next time it will be your heart," Ryushi sneered.  
  
Slowly Kurama reached into his hair and produced a rose. The rose had turned into a whip, with rose thorns around it, just by inserting his Yoki into the rose. A frown played on Kurama's lips as he turned off to the side, protecting his vital points from any bullets shot at him by Ryushi.  
  
"Your injustice shall be rewarded, whether if it is me or someone else," Kurama said coldly, "the pain you have caused this girl and her family is beyond words."  
  
"Heh, your heroism is over done! I know you and your attacks. Don't think I have only this gun!" Ryushi sneered.  
  
"We shall see about that," the Kitsune growled.  
  
Kurama watched as Ryushi's hand went swiftly from Kurama to beyond him an evil smile upon his lips. Something told Kurama that he was not the only one in danger, but his friends as well. It was a mistake having them come along, and Kurama knew it in his gut. There was this small voice within his head yelling at him, telling him to make a move, even if he kills Ryushi, saving his friends goes before his own...even if he pays for it with his own life.  
  
"What are you planning to do Ryushi?" Kurama asked.  
  
"It's simple really; why waste time trying to kill you when I could just kill your friends?" Ryushi stated. "And I was thinking of starting with your little girlfriend."  
  
"Leave her outta this or Kurama won't be the only one kicking your ass!" Yusuke shouted.  
  
"Stay out of this, Yusuke," Kurama warned.  
  
"But...oh, alright, but if you get into anything I'm gonna kick this bastard's ass, you got me?" Yusuke asked.  
  
Kurama just nodded and kept his eyes on Ryushi. There was no use in trying to argue with him, Yusuke was stubborn as a mule when it came to fights. There were more important things on his mind then whether he or Yusuke fought Ryushi.  
  
"What do you want me to do, Ryushi? As long as you leave my friends out of this, I may accept," Kurama said calmly.  
  
"Hmm...it sounds interesting. Would you give your life for your friends?" Ryushi asked wickedly.  
  
"I would."  
  
"So be it."  
  
"But, first let them go, all of them, including Kasumi."  
  
"And if I say 'no'?"  
  
"Then he'll kick your ass!" Yusuke interrupted.  
  
"Shut your trap, boy!" Ryushi shouted and shot a couple of bullets in Yusuke's direction.  
  
Kurama raised an eyebrow, Yusuke was definitely getting somewhere. If Ryushi wastes all of his bullets on his temper then the safety of the others is pretty much insured...but there had to be other guns, besides this one. Then again, if Ryushi cracks there may be no need for violence.   
  
"What has twisted your logic so that you would take a girl hostage?" Kurama asked; his voice was low with obvious anger.  
  
"It's simple really, I can obtain power, power that I had desired for so long," Ryushi replied.  
  
"You are a sick man," Kurama growled.  
  
Kasumi sank to the bottom of the capsule and watched. Her heart felt low, she knew there was no use trying to do something. She clutched her dress tight as she sat not knowing what was happening. She could see that Ryushi shot his gun and that Kurama was wounded, the blood still flowing from his wounded arm. Tears started to fall from her eyes; she had no one to blame but herself. If she hadn't been so weak none of this would have happened.  
  
Botan stood behind Kurama, her eyes wide with fear as Ryushi adjusted the gun to be pointed at her. She felt her legs start to fail her. Her eyes left Ryushi's gun and looked at Kurama's arm, it was still bleeding, the blood was pooling beneath his arm. She closed her eyes, hoping to rid herself of feeling scared.  
  
"Scared girl? I would be too," Ryushi sneered.  
  
Hiei started to walk forward. "You are stupid, you actually think we'd let you kill her?"  
  
Ryushi pointed his gun at Hiei who moved with blinding speed out of the way. Ryushi shot an afterimage, with Hiei's speed it was near impossible to get him with bullets alone. Kuwabara just stood watching them dumbfounded, it was not like he hadn't experienced Hiei's speed before, but it was the fact that Hiei was standing up for Botan that shocked him.  
  
Kurama took a few steps forward, an idea just popped into his head. He used his whip to knock the gun from Ryushi's hand and into his own. Now Kurama had the upper hand. He threw the gun to Hiei and started to make his way towards Ryushi.  
  
"To tell the truth, Ryushi, I could careless if you died at this moment," Kurama stated. "I would rather see you die then live and destroy more lives. But, killing you will not be vengeance enough to those whose lives have already been destroyed by you."  
  
Kurama was now face-to-face with Ryushi. His anger had already hit its peak and Ryushi knew if the Yoko fox came out from within Kurama, they would all be possibly in the presence of death. It takes a lot just to make Kurama mad, but Ryushi had seemed to hit the tender spot within Kurama's heart by trying to kill his friends. It hardly mattered anymore and he was now the one praying for death.  
  
"You are defenseless Ryushi; I would not try anything rash if I were you. Just surrender quietly and maybe I will have pity on your soul," the Kitsune growled.  
  
"B-but it's against the law that you kill a human," Ryushi stammered.  
  
"Since when did you care about the law?" Kurama asked with great anger. "If you did then you would know that kidnapping is against the law and so is illegal use of weaponry...the list could go on. You care nothing for laws...so why should I?"  
  
Ryushi let something much like a whimper out. Without a gun or a weapon he was starting to crumble. He stumbled backwards causing him to fall. Ryushi scooted backwards as Kurama stepped forward. Kurama's emerald eyes were starting to flicker with a hint of gold. The inner Kitsune fighting to get out, but was being kept at bay for now.  
  
"This scene must seem familiar, does it?" Kurama murmured.  
  
Ryushi gulped and moved back until his back was against the wall. Kurama stopped a few feet away from him with his Rose Whip in hand. Yusuke and the others watched in shock at the change in Kurama's personality, they could not believe that Kurama was actually thinking about killing this man.  
  
"Surrender now," Kurama snapped.  
  
Ryushi whimpered some more. He curled himself into a ball, trying to protect himself from an attack that might be made by Kurama. However, Kurama made no move to attack. He eyes stayed focused on the whimpering man, but showed no mercy. He could not forgive a man who tortured and killed many.   
  
"What is your answer?" Kurama demanded, his voice growing into a shout.  
  
Hiei threw the gun onto the floor. "Hn, you know he is going to cry and make a scene until he has a plan. Give him his justice now."  
  
"What are you saying, Hiei?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"This man deserves death!" Hiei replied.  
  
"Who are you to decide who lives and who dies?" Botan asked Hiei weakly. "That is not your job. Besides, it is against the law of Reikai that a yokai kills a human!"  
  
"Release Kasumi and we will be on our way," Kurama said to Ryushi.  
  
"No! Never!" Ryushi yelled and ran for his gun.  
  
"Stubborn bastard!" Yusuke sneered as Ryushi reached his gun.  
  
"What do you plan on doing?" Kurama asked.  
  
Ryushi did not reply. He just turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the chest. The blood sprayed about him like rain, coating his clothes and skin as well as the ground beneath him. Kurama could not find pity on a man who killed himself; instead he turned away and reached one of the henchmen.  
  
"Release the girl," he said softly in reply the henchman nodded and went to get Kasumi.   
  
Kurama turned to his friends and walked over to them. His face was filled with sorrow. His right hand clutched over his left arm without realizing the wound had opened up again and fresh blood poured freely.  
  
"Kurama!" Botan yelled and rushed to his side.  
  
He blinked a couple of times not realizing why her voice was filled with fear. Botan took a piece of clothe from her kimono and pressed closer to Kurama. She carefully wiped the blood from his arm.  
  
"Eww, that's gross...how do we get the bullet out?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
Kurama handed his cell phone to Botan. She nodded and made the call to the hospital while the Reikai Tentei crowded around Kurama asking him what happened.  
  
A couple of minutes later Kasumi walked through the door looking somewhere between scared and sick. She managed to walk past what were the remains of Ryushi and sit on the ground next to Kurama and the Tentei.   
  
Several hours later, everyone had returned home, with the exception of Kurama and Botan. It had taken some explaining what had happened in the mansion and why they were there. Botan had gone with Kurama to the hospital, they were lucky that the bullet came out easily and that he would be going home soon.   
  
~*~*~  
  
a/n: Ok, so this was a fairly bad ending to this whole ordeal, but I was thinking if I over did it, it look stupid, so I had it end like this.  
  
Yusuke: You have a complaint from Dana!  
  
Botan: Oh shut up! Dana got annoyed because Kurama got hurt! If he left this fight without a scratch it'd look weird. So ha!  
  
Yusuke: Riiiight! Remind me to write that one down.  
  
Botan: Alright stop with the jokes, and Chapter 11 is up now (I was too lazy to wait a week). 


	11. Chapter eleven

Chapter eleven:  
  
A week later everything was just starting to get back to normal. Kasumi went back to school and started to become a celebrity to her classmates. However, the scars of the event still had not disappeared. She tried to act normal and avoid the subject of what happened with Ryushi.  
  
"So, what's going to happen now?" Botan asked.  
  
"She says that she is willing to get back to her normal life. I doubt highly that she will succeed here," Kurama replied.  
  
"I wouldn't be able to come back to school the week after something like that happened to me," she said.  
  
"Kasumi is like that, no matter what happens she goes to school, it seems to be her place of peace," Kurama answered.  
  
Botan nodded and looked at the sky. "She's a nice girl, Kurama, take care of her. And, uh, don't break her heart; I'd hate to see that."  
  
Kurama looked at Botan; she was forcing herself to smile at him. He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The forced smile held sad eyes, something that was not natural to Botan. She turned away with tears in her eyes; she sure did know how to break his heart.   
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara stood off to the side. They watched Botan and Kurama from a safe distance, but their faces showed obvious disappointment.  
  
"Damn, why doesn't he tell her?" Yusuke asked in a low voice.  
  
"Hn," came a voice behind them, "she just told him to go with the other girl."  
  
"Dammit Hiei!" Kuwabara gasped.  
  
Hiei said nothing and walked off leaving the two boys to stare after him. Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged glances after a moment or so.  
  
"He's weird," Kuwabara stated.  
  
"Yep, I would have thought he'd make some crude remark before he left," Yusuke agreed.  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara watched as Kurama gave Botan a hug and walked away. Botan summoned her oar and went to Reikai. There was something sad in her eyes as she flew away. They knew that if two people were meant to be together then they would find their way sooner or later. For their friends' sake Yusuke hoped it would be sooner.  
  
"Com'n Kuwabara, let's go, there's no use in watching nothing," Yusuke sighed.  
  
Kuwabara nodded and walked away with Yusuke. They started to talk and joke around as they always would, but they also talked more seriously knowing that their friends were hurting inside and they could do nothing to help.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm late," Kasumi said.  
  
"No, it is alright," Kurama replied.  
  
There was a long pause. Kasumi sat next to Kurama her eyes fixed on the ground; suddenly to her the concrete was becoming more interesting. Kurama said nothing, what was there to say...except a bunch of apologies and words of comfort. He knew better then anyone that the subject of Ryushi and anything that had to do with him was still a tender spot to Kasumi.   
  
"So, um...how's your arm?" Kasumi asked breaking the silence.  
  
"Fine, I will be able to participate in my normal activities once again next week," he replied. "Botan is worried about you."  
  
"Botan...she's your girlfriend with the blue hair," she said.  
  
"Yes, she is the girl with the blue hair, but we are not dating," Kurama confirmed.  
  
"Oh I see..." was the reply.  
  
"The funny thing is...she thinks we are and told me to take care of you."  
  
Kasumi let out a small giggle, but it faded quickly and was replaced by tears. She turned away from Kurama, concealing her tears from him.  
  
"No, I should be saying that to you, telling you to take care of her," Kasumi whispered.  
  
"What?" Kurama asked.  
  
"I'm moving Kurama, tonight actually," she replied.  
  
"Where are you moving to?" he said.  
  
"Kyoto," she answered.  
  
Kurama gave a small nod, but said nothing more. He put an arm around her and told her that everything would be alright. Her tears only seemed to increase with each word of reassurance. Seeing her like this made Kurama feel bad, almost as if he were a bad person, but this was uncontrollable, he had no say in this, so he had nothing to feel guilty for.  
  
After a few minutes Kasumi had calmed down and was able to say her good-bye to Kurama. She was sad to leave him, but "fate was always a fickle woman" as they would say. Kasumi gave Kurama a small kiss on the lips without crying and told him what she wished to say.  
  
"Anzu! Hey Anzu! Mom's waiting for us!" a tall boy with blond hair shouted.  
  
"Ok Keisuke!" Kasumi replied.  
  
She turned to leave, but stopped herself. Kasumi smiled and said, "Take care of yourself and Botan as well, she really loves you. And...remember that I will always be here in spirit, so don't hurt her or you'll have to answer to me!"  
  
Kurama smiled and nodded. "I will try to remember that and do not worry about Botan," he replied.  
  
Kasumi ran to her older brother and started to talk with him happily. Her gestures were large and filled with excitement. They walked until Kurama could not see them anymore. With a smile the red-headed Kitsune turned and walked away.  
  
~*~*~Fin~*~*~  
  
~*~*~  
  
a/n: So, how was it? Did the ending shock you? I know I was shocked on how quickly I wrote chapter eleven. I know it's short, but I thought if I wrote any more I'd kill the whole story. But…for all you hopeful KuramaxKasumi fans, Kurama did not tell Botan that he wanted to be with her and both, Kasumi and Botan, tried to give Kurama to each other (confusing, ne?).   
  
I try to listen to music that fits the mood of the moment, so it is easier to write, but I couldn't find many songs that sounded dark, I know "Kurama no Hitsuu" was the most perfect instrumental piece for this story. But, seriously, I went through all my music, "Cowboy Bebop", "Harry Potter", "Lord of the Rings", Miyazaki movie soundtracks, etc…but nothing seemed to fit the mood of this fic.  
  
Yusuke: Eh, stop complaining!  
  
Botan: But look at my fic, it took forever.  
  
Yusuke: Hey! This is this first fic you actually finished.  
  
Botan: But...it feels really short.  
  
Kurama: Sometimes shorter stories are better then long ones.  
  
Botan: I guess so. Anyway mina-san, I have finished it, even though I over did some things and watered down some other things. But, seriously, I like to twist things (as if you hadn't noticed). But, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, especially my friend, Dana, who read this and some how found something good to say no matter how crappy it really came out. I know she is going to tell me that it is not crappy.  
  
Anyway, a sequel might be in order, but I highly doubt it, because I wrote this other fic, but I stopped at chapter 5, and you know, if I had called it quits on this, I don't know what would have happened. Honestly, I want to know what you think, but please no flames…maybe a small criticism…but do not rant on all the things you hate because if I did that it'd look bad on my self. (Really, I hated chapter 4, hehehe).   
  
Ja ne,  
  
Botan Minamino 


End file.
